Four Things That Kill Your Guitar Playing Progress

Do you have a hard time improving your guitar playing and wonder how to make your guitar practicing more effective than it is? Perhaps you have tried various things to achieve this goal, such as attempting to practice more or trying to inspire yourself to be more motivated to practice guitar with greater intensity. However you have probably discovered (just as other guitar players have found) that doing these things is not going to be enough by itself to make you the guitar player you want to be.

The truth is that guitar players who consistently make progress as musicians all have similarities in their underlying approaches to practicing guitar (to find out more about what these similarities are, watch this free video on how to learn guitar playing). In addition (just as importantly), there are several traits that guitar players who have a hard time progressing also share in their approaches to guitar practicing that restrict them from reaching their guitar playing potential.

In this article I want to tell you some of the typical reasons why so many guitarists are unable to improve their musical skills. If you work on your guitar playing every day but are still not playing at the level that you want, consider if any of the guitar practice problems listed below apply to you. If you can relate to any of the situations described here, you have found a major clue that will help you to become a better guitar player than before.

Guitar Practice Mistake #1: Obsessing About “˜How Long’ It Takes To Become A Better Guitarist

A lot of musicians, especially those who just recently started studying with a teacher, spend a lot of time asking questions similar to the following: “How long does it take to develop into a great musician?”

Even though it is normal to be preoccupied with this issue in the beginning of your guitar playing life, investing too much time into this question will only slow your rate of improvement as a musician and will make you miss the exact steps you need to take to get the result you want. This happens because the process of learning to play guitar depends not on the length of time that has transpired since you started to practice your instrument but rather on how well you used that time. The maxim: “It’s not the time you spend, it’s how you spend the time” applies to this issue perfectly.

Obsessing over “the amount of time” it takes for you to develop a set of guitar playing skills will often – without you realizing it – move your attention from focusing on making your guitar practice sessions more productive to simply ‘waiting’ for a certain date on the calendar to arrive, hoping to reach your goals by that time. Simply put, time spent obsessing is time not spent practicing.

Instead of making the mistake above, your energy should be directed on making every moment you practicing guitar become highly productive. It’s only after your guitar practice sessions become extremely effective that time you spend with your instrument will begin to matter.

Guitar Practice Mistake #2: Paralyzing Yourself With Too Many Choices

Guitar players today have a very easy time with finding lots of guitar playing exercises, tab lessons and videos. Everything is only a click away. However, the irony of the situation is such that the number of truly great guitar players in the world (and the rate at which musicians progress) has not gone up, despite the advancements in technology. Why is this so?

The reason why the above problem exists is because this overabundance of information leads to one of two outcomes:

Guitar players start to move from one set of guitar playing materials to another with no idea whatsoever about how doing so will help them to advance their guitar skills.

Guitar players become paralyzed by the overload of choices and different guitar learning paths to take and are unable to come to a decision about ‘what’ steps to take next to move forward in their guitar playing. In each of the situations described, your guitar playing will improve much slower than it could otherwise.

Top guitar masters know how to prevent the above issues by staying with a consistent approach to developing their musical skills and know how to filter out all but the most essential guitar practice materials that are needed to overcome their musical challenges. This is the key that helps them to avoid this common mistake.

To learn how you can do the same in your musical training and become a much better guitarist more quickly, watch this free lesson (on video) on how to learn guitar playing.

Guitar Practice Mistake #3: Not Relying On Yourself Enough

The first two mistakes you’ve read about often apply to guitarists who are self-taught. On the opposite end of the spectrum, lack of “self-sufficiency” is very widespread among musicians who take guitar lessons with a teacher. This concept means understanding the very obvious fact that only you are the person in charge of your own guitar playing progress (or lack of it). Although having a guitar teacher is a great way to make faster progress in your playing, it is not a replacement for the fact that “you” must take the actions needed to get to where you want to be as a musician.

All of that being said, “relying on yourself” does not mean to be skeptical of everything your guitar teacher says or believe that you know more about playing guitar than your teacher. Obviously if “did” know more than your teacher, you wouldn’t be the one taking guitar lessons, would you? However, taking responsibility for your own guitar playing progress does mean to take your own initiative with getting the most out of whatever resource you use to improve your guitar playing.

It also implies making an honest effort at discovering the answer to your musical questions by thinking about the issue before asking for extra help. The idea is to “balance” relying on yourself with knowing when to ask for help if you are truly stuck. If you do this on a regular basis, you will achieve the best of both worlds: you will progress more quickly in your guitar playing and you will also avoid developing a feeling of dependency on any single guitar learning resource.

All great guitarists apply this concept of “balancing” the two traits mentioned above and that is a big part of what helps to continuously progress in their guitar playing. On the other hand, those guitar players who have a hard time progressing in music often do not have this quality well developed.

Guitar Practice Mistake #4: Not Being Patient

After you discover the secrets to effective guitar practicing, it will get easier to progress more quickly as a musician. Nonetheless, it is equally important to realize that at some point there is no way to speed up the rate of your progress to a level faster than is natural.

This is exactly the same as the process a gardener goes through when placing a seed into the ground in the hopes of someday seeing it develop into a fruit tree. No matter how much the gardener attempts to speed up the process of the seed blossoming into a tree, there are some stages of growth that cannot be sped up past a certain point. This analogy applies perfectly to becoming a better guitar player.

Sadly, too many guitarists do not realize the true importance of patience in the process of improving their musical skills. As a result, many become frustrated too quickly and start doubting their potential to improve if they do not see results by some arbitrarily set deadline. When the unrealistic results are not achieved quickly, this leads to even more negative mindsets that will only discourage you from practicing guitar.

To overcome this problem, realize that the journey to becoming a great guitar player is a never-ending process and you have your entire life to develop your musical skills. This is the first step to clearing your mind enough to have the energy needed to practice guitar effectively.

If you want more advice on how to practice guitar like the best guitarists do, start by watching this free video on how to learn guitar playing. This video will help you to understand the ideas from this article on a deeper level and will enable you to know with greater clarity what steps you need to take right now to greatly improve your skills on guitar. By taking advantage of the guitar practice approaches that great guitarists have in common, while avoiding the mistakes that the majority of musicians typically make you will move towards your goals much faster than you ever thought possible.

fantastic article. Thank you for this. This is exactly what I have been stuck with. I am a high intermediate player but have been increasingly frustrated with being stuck, and I think at least 3 of the 4 apply to me. Thanks again

Yeah as a self taught beginner ,i can’t really choose how to proceed .As i like most of the fingerstyle guitar playing but i also like metal sweep pikcing .so guess what, i m practicing both of them at the same time .Yeah progress is slow but i think as long as i m doing it my way i m happy with the progress

For me #4 has always been a problem for me, in the way that I try to blaze through a lick at a speed I’m just not ready for, then I’ll do it again and wonder why I can’t get it. Well after I take a breath and go through it slowly, then I can start to get it right. Thanks for the article

Hey i agree with many of the principles here. Especially the part about quality over quantity with regards to practicing. The brain learns best when it is fully engaged in an activity, so noodling away while watching the tv doesn’t really work.

1st point reminds me very much of my gr8 teacher, i miss him n his lessons? Sum1 ask dat question 2 my teacher wud b his last day with my teacher ;D
My teacher not only teaches music, once he told me that he has 32 hours a day n not 24; so he practice more then ny other. I was wndered but he was quick 2 tell me, u lost 8 hrs in sleep sleep only 5 n 3 is urs to practice…u ppl here are like my teacher u cover all aspects into becoming a musician! Gr8!

Well, I can’t-period. Almost 5 years of trying, 4 teachers, at least 3 hours a day 7 days a week, and no I’m not exaggerating, I still can’t make something that sounds like music. I do think teachers should tell their students when they have no talent and are not going to make it, it would have saved me untold time and money. One of mine hinted, but still took my money. It’s infuriating.

I agree totally,I’ve been trying to learn for 7 years.I still have terrible finger independence,can’t play a riff for more than 30 seconds without pain and seizures in my hand,and still struggle to play barre chords high up the neck.I’ve tried everything.I’m giving up now.

cl june 21 2016
I started at eight years old and now age 70. Having the opportunity to play with many beginners as well as professionals,
I notice in many the idea that they want to be a perfect player and I say there are not many who ever get to that place where they convince them selfs they have arrived. What I try to explain to many just to encourage that they hear someone play a certain style and when in practice they can,t duplicate the exact style and timing. I explain to they learn all you can and later you will find a different style that just fits you and is pleasing and rewarding. There are so many styles and most stay with and master many learning curves find they create there own pleasing style. For that reason please understandTHERE IS NO PERFECT WAY TO PLAY THE GUITAR BECAUSE AS YOU ACQUIRE THE ART OF MOVING AROUND THE FRET BOARD YOU BEGAN TO ACQUIRE A SOUND AND STYLE OF YOU OWN JUST STAY THE COURSE AND LISTEN TO OTHERS, WATCH THEIR FINGER MOVES. ALSO AS YOU PROGRESS GO PURCHASE A BETTER SOUNDING INSTRUMENT THAT MAKES YOU STYLE RESINATE BETTER AS YOU PLAY MORE STRINGS AT A TIME. GUITAR PLAYING IS THE SAME AS DEVELOPING GOOD FRIENDS—BE APPRECIATIVE TO YOU INSTRUMENT, YOUR TIME. TO THOSE WHO HELP YOU PROGRESS AND GOOD WILL RETURN BACK TO YOU. AS YOU STRUGGLE WITH THIS INSTRUMENT WITH SIX OR TWELVE STRINGS TO COVER, CONCENTRATE AT EVERY MOMENT, BUILD GOOD MEMORIES BECAUSE YEARS LATER THOSE MEMORIES WILL RETURN BACK UP AND YOU WILL FILTER SOME IMPORTANT DECISIONS THROUGH THOSE MEMORIES . DON,T BE STUCK BECAUSE OF PREFERRED STYLE, SOON YOU WILL FIND ANOTHER TO TAKE IS PLACE. WHEN THAT HAPPENS OTHERS WILL GATHER AROUND TO HEAR AND OH YES WATCH YOU FINGER MOVEMENTS. I AM SEVENTY YEARS OLD AND PLAYED BEFORE THOUSANDS AND I LEARN SOMETHING OR MAKE A SOUND DIFFERENT MANY TIMES AND WONDER WHY I HAD NOT USED THAT BEFORE. BE A GUITAR PLAYER TAKES LOVE AND APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR THAT INSTRUMENT. ITS NOT A PART OF YOU WORLD. IT IS A LIFE STYLE THAT YOU DON.T ALLOW OTHERS TO DISCOURAGE YOU AND TAKE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME AWAY FROM THE DEDICATION. I KNOW THIS IS LONG AND I AM REPEATING, BUT AS YOU LEARN THINK ABOUT DEDICATION BUILD PRECIOUS GOOD MEMORIES, NOT BAD HINDERING MEMORIES AS THEY RETURN BACK AT YOU IN YOUR FACE AS YOU AGE. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL ALWATS PLAY BETTER THAN YOU. DO NOT ALLOW THAT TO DISCOURAGE YOU, BUT LOOK AT IT AS A LEARNING BLESSED CHANCE THAT YOU MET AND PLAY YOUR STYLE. ONCE YOU GET TO THE PLACE THAT YOU CAN DANCE AOUND THE FRETBOARD NO ONE CAN STEAL THAT FROM YOU—YOU OWN IT cli

I am a beginner, having started relatively late in life at age 48. I have been playing for a month, practicing chord changes every damn day for hours and haven’t improved a damn bit. Repetition after repetition. I get super frustrated which only drives me to sit hour after hour, repetition after repetion. D minor to C over and over again. I just can’t seem to make any progress at all.

Brett, dont beat yourself up. sadly a month really isnt much time in the guitar learning world. I’ve been playing for about 18months and still struggle with some chord changes. it may be more helpful to shift focus from learning chords to something like slow blues soloing. i dont even listen to blues, but i can appreciate that everything i do listen to is inspired by it, so it only make sense to learn to play it. although being able to play open chords is important, it doesnt have to be the first thing you learn. ive spent more time learning the minor pentatonic scales and how the 5 positions work, learning how to apply them in dirrent keys. now im working on the major scales with the intention of learning the modes after. ive noticed that from building skills in soloing that when i revisit open chords to learn a riff, its much easier than it was at the start. i still havent committed to learning any particular song all the way through. i pretty much will learn the main riff for something and use a looper pedal to record myself playing it so i can improvise a solo over something familiar. like Mike points out in this article, you cant expect to be at some magic point in this journey by any set date. if what your trying to practice is not really fun or seems to not be effective, then its time to focus on another area. i truly believe that anyone can get to an intermediate level on the guitar and really dont believe in some magical natural talent that is needed to become a great guitarist. it may take years or even a few decades, but i know the level i want to achieve and plan to put in the work to get there. its not a race and no need to rush, dont worry about the time my friend

Hey Brett, I was right where you are 2 years ago. I had been messing around with the guitar for a year or 2, not really making much progress, when at 48, I decided to get serious. I signed up with a teacher. A teacher can help you in ways you just can’t help yourself. Regardless of that though, the thing I wanted to mention to you about chords is a little trick I picked up when I was REALLY struggling with chords (I’m talking simple stuff, like A to D). Someone told me the best way to learn chords is to first practice the fingering with the left hand, and don’t even strum. Just practice your fingers going from the first chord (in your case D minor) to the 2nd chord (C), and then back again. Do this 30 times, back and forth (I actually did it 50!! LOL), and THEN try to strum. It’s critical that your fingers get that ‘muscle memory’ in order for you to succeed!! Also, I find that as we are, well, a bit ‘advanced’ in age, it’s going to take TIME and PATIENCE for you to get better….just the nature of the beast. If I were you, I would start with the A, D , and E chords as SO MANY songs use them, then google something like ‘songs that use A D and E’ and see if there are any there you like. Good luck!!